Our Culture, What's Left of It: The Mandarins and the Masses
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Our Culture, What's Left of It: The Mandarins and the Masses is a 2005
non-fiction book by British physician and writer Theodore Dalrymple. It is composed of twenty-six separate pieces that cover a wide range of topics from drug legalization to the influence of Shakespeare. A common theme is criticism of modern society
in Great Britain and, in many articles, social attitudes towards literature. The book was published by the Ivan R. Dee group. He generally describes British culture as a "moral swamp" and writes that the people must return to past traditions before it is too late.
In the essay "Who Killed Childhood?", he writes that modern British children now grow up in a warped environment that gives them an "egotistical inability to feel, compensated for by an outward show." He states that on one end the social culture tends to treat children as small adults. While at the same time, he argues that an extended adolescence
prevents young adults from maturing much further from that initial jump made as children. He blames a breakdown of the traditional family and widespread illegitimacy, and he states that for many people parenting is just one immature person blindly enforcing their will upon another immature person.
In another essay, he discusses the immense power of music over humanity. He describes how various dictators from Vladimir Lenin
to the Ayatollah Khomeini have opposed the public's right to play their music, and thus how music inherently challenges totalitarian thinking
since it defies ideological characterisation. He writes about how the idea that what cannot be scientifically measured does not truly exist fails.
He condemns the secularisation of British society, writing:
He describes his experience treating people who use illegal drugs. He defends the 'war on drugs
' and attacks the arguments for legalisation. He writes, "If the war on drugs is lost, then so are the laws against theft, speeding, incest, fraud, rape, murder, arson... Few, if any such wars are winnable."
The Times Literary Supplement
published a mostly positive review by author and editor Richard Davenport-Hines
. Davenport-Hines argued that Dalrymple left out the negative influence of American culture
on Britain— such as the instant gratification provided on trashy American television
and the popularity of unhealthy American fast food
. Richard Davenport-Hines also wrote more generally that:
A supportive review appeared in News Weekly
, a publication by the Australian public policy group National Civic Council. The news magazine stated that "It is rare for a book on social issues to be so readable, but this is not a work of abstract social theory." The review also stated that "The vividness of Dalrymple's prose and the remorseless logic of his arguments make this a formidable work. Anyone concerned about the fate of Western civilisation should read this book."
2005 in literature
The year 2005 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*February 25 - Canada Reads selects Rockbound by Frank Parker Day as the novel to be read across the nation....
non-fiction book by British physician and writer Theodore Dalrymple. It is composed of twenty-six separate pieces that cover a wide range of topics from drug legalization to the influence of Shakespeare. A common theme is criticism of modern society
Social criticism
The term social criticism locates the reasons for malicious conditions of the society in flawed social structures. People adhering to a social critics aim at practical solutions by specific measures, often consensual reform but sometimes also by powerful revolution.- European roots :Religious...
in Great Britain and, in many articles, social attitudes towards literature. The book was published by the Ivan R. Dee group. He generally describes British culture as a "moral swamp" and writes that the people must return to past traditions before it is too late.
Contents
As a common theme, Dalrymple depicts what he sees as "the moral swamp that is contemporary Britain". He criticises the British national culture as "a banal, self-pitying, witless and shallow emotional incontinence". He advocates a restoration of what he calls traditional British virtues such as "prudence, thrift, industry, honesty, moderation, politeness, self-restraint".In the essay "Who Killed Childhood?", he writes that modern British children now grow up in a warped environment that gives them an "egotistical inability to feel, compensated for by an outward show." He states that on one end the social culture tends to treat children as small adults. While at the same time, he argues that an extended adolescence
Adolescence
Adolescence is a transitional stage of physical and mental human development generally occurring between puberty and legal adulthood , but largely characterized as beginning and ending with the teenage stage...
prevents young adults from maturing much further from that initial jump made as children. He blames a breakdown of the traditional family and widespread illegitimacy, and he states that for many people parenting is just one immature person blindly enforcing their will upon another immature person.
In another essay, he discusses the immense power of music over humanity. He describes how various dictators from Vladimir Lenin
Vladimir Lenin
Vladimir Ilyich Lenin was a Russian Marxist revolutionary and communist politician who led the October Revolution of 1917. As leader of the Bolsheviks, he headed the Soviet state during its initial years , as it fought to establish control of Russia in the Russian Civil War and worked to create a...
to the Ayatollah Khomeini have opposed the public's right to play their music, and thus how music inherently challenges totalitarian thinking
Totalitarianism
Totalitarianism is a political system where the state recognizes no limits to its authority and strives to regulate every aspect of public and private life wherever feasible...
since it defies ideological characterisation. He writes about how the idea that what cannot be scientifically measured does not truly exist fails.
He condemns the secularisation of British society, writing:
He describes his experience treating people who use illegal drugs. He defends the 'war on drugs
War on Drugs
The War on Drugs is a campaign of prohibition and foreign military aid and military intervention being undertaken by the United States government, with the assistance of participating countries, intended to both define and reduce the illegal drug trade...
' and attacks the arguments for legalisation. He writes, "If the war on drugs is lost, then so are the laws against theft, speeding, incest, fraud, rape, murder, arson... Few, if any such wars are winnable."
Reviews
Writer and Greek Orthodox priest Johannes L. Jacobse wrote for Orthodoxy Today that the book gives "an illuminating journey through recent cultural history". He stated that "it's rare to find such a morally coherent, historically informed, and humane account of the costs that welfare socialists impose on society". He also remarked, "Sober-minded readers will benefit from Dalrymple's work".The Times Literary Supplement
The Times Literary Supplement
The Times Literary Supplement is a weekly literary review published in London by News International, a subsidiary of News Corporation.-History:...
published a mostly positive review by author and editor Richard Davenport-Hines
Richard Davenport-Hines
Richard Davenport-Hines is a British historian and literary biographer, best known for his biography of the poet W. H. Auden....
. Davenport-Hines argued that Dalrymple left out the negative influence of American culture
Culture of the United States
The Culture of the United States is a Western culture originally influenced by European cultures. It has been developing since long before the United States became a country with its own unique social and cultural characteristics such as dialect, music, arts, social habits, cuisine, and folklore...
on Britain— such as the instant gratification provided on trashy American television
Television in the United States
Television is one of the major mass media of the United States. Ninety-nine percent of American households have at least one television and the majority of households have more than one...
and the popularity of unhealthy American fast food
Fast food
Fast food is the term given to food that can be prepared and served very quickly. While any meal with low preparation time can be considered to be fast food, typically the term refers to food sold in a restaurant or store with preheated or precooked ingredients, and served to the customer in a...
. Richard Davenport-Hines also wrote more generally that:
A supportive review appeared in News Weekly
News Weekly
News Weekly is an Australian current affairs magazine, published by the National Civic Council. It was founded by B. A. Santamaria in 1941 under the name Freedom. News Weekly provides analysis of current cultural, social, political and economic trends in the Australia. It has a focus on ethics.The...
, a publication by the Australian public policy group National Civic Council. The news magazine stated that "It is rare for a book on social issues to be so readable, but this is not a work of abstract social theory." The review also stated that "The vividness of Dalrymple's prose and the remorseless logic of his arguments make this a formidable work. Anyone concerned about the fate of Western civilisation should read this book."
See also
- 2005 in literature2005 in literatureThe year 2005 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*February 25 - Canada Reads selects Rockbound by Frank Parker Day as the novel to be read across the nation....
- Spoilt Rotten: The Toxic Cult of SentimentalitySpoilt Rotten: The Toxic Cult of SentimentalitySpoilt Rotten: The Toxic Cult of Sentimentality is a book by the British writer and retired doctor and psychiatrist Theodore Dalrymple, originally published in 2010. Polemical in nature, the book contends that sentimentality has become culturally entrenched in British society, with harmful...
- Life at the Bottom: The Worldview That Makes the UnderclassLife at the Bottom: The Worldview That Makes the UnderclassLife at the Bottom: The Worldview That Makes the Underclass is a collection of essays written by British writer, doctor, and psychiatrist Theodore Dalrymple and published in book form by Ivan R. Dee in 2001. In 1994, the Manhattan Institute started publishing the contents of these essays in the...